65th King's Lynn Festival Line-up announced

One of the most exciting and ambitious King’s Lynn Festival programmes will celebrate the 65th Festival on July 12-25.

A wide-ranging programme of classical music, jazz, folk, talks and films was announced at a press launch at Bank House Hotel today. The Festival will include four orchestras, trumpet virtuoso Crispian Steele-Perkins, veteran comedian Barry Cryer, historian and broadcaster Andrew Graham-Dixon.

There are some really special events to look forward to, including:

The BBC Concert Orchestra recording an edition of Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night on July 20.

A Royal Shakespeare Company production of songs written for Shakespeare’s plays, which will be staged in St George’s Guildhall on July 13 – the first time it will have been seen outside Stratford.

A new exhibition in partnership with TheSainsbury Centre for Visual Arts which is to loan work of portrait photographer John Hedgecoe.

Swinging at the Cotton Club on July 19 will be an action-packed evening of jazz, song and dance featuring Harry Strutters’ Hot Rhythm Orchestra and the Jiving Lindy Hoppers.

The Festival includes two of the nation's favourite pianists Freddy Kempf and Benjamin Grosvenor, plus rising stars of the classical music world at five coffee concerts.

Adding to the variety Capercaillie will present their unique fusion of Gaelic culture and contemporary folk, popular jazz band King Pleasure and the BiscuitBoys, an evening of jive and swing from Harry Strutters Hot Rhythm Orchestra and the Jiving Lindy Hoppers.

The Festival’s artistic director, Ambrose Miller, described the programme as: “One of the most ambitious we have presented – and it has something for everyone.

Priority booking for
Patrons and Friends starts on April 7 and the box office (01553-764864) opens for general booking on April 27.